Last night's season two finale typified everything I love about this show: Its subtlety.
My spouse and I watch a lot of TV, and a lot of it is high-pitched in different ways in different genres: Game of Thrones, Scandal, The Walking Dead, How to Get Away With Murder, Episodes, Madame Secretary, The Americans -- among others.
But what I always look for, as an author, is memorable storytelling and writing, no matter how it's done, and the final scene knocked me out. Patrick's just had his brand new fantasy world destroyed (or so he thinks) and he goes to Ritchie's barber shop. The motor mouth who has to blurt out all his feelings before he's even fully felt them or understood them just wants to sit. He doesn't want to talk. And he asks Ritchie to cut his hair.
This is a very layered moment (pun not intended). When they were together, Patrick's friends looked down on Ritchie's profession and Ritchie was really deeply and rightly offended. So Patrick is honoring what Ritchie does. More than that, he gives himself up to silence and Ritchie's care. There's healing and communion going on.
I know a lot of viewers won't see it or get it or care.
But I thought it was beautiful. Quietly beautiful. Which is why I've consistently enjoyed the show. Even when the volume's gone up in arguments -- say when Dom and Doris fell out -- it was always pitched just right, never too high.
I think of the show as an oasis on TV I look forward to returning to. And the writing is consistently engaging, smart, funny, and touching.
Lev Raphael is the author of the 25 books including the Nick Hoffman mystery series and you can check them out on Amazon here.